The Black Keys recently canceled their US arena shows.
The duo was supposed to start their tour in Tulsa on September 17, after finishing a European tour. However, all the dates were removed from their website and Ticketmaster over the weekend. On May 26, they finally explained the situation in a social media post. The band wrote:
“The band wants to assure everyone that Dan & Patrick are alive and well. Following the recent run of shows in the UK & Europe, including stops at iconic venues like Brixton Academy and the Zenith in Paris, we have decided to make some changes to the North American leg of the International Players Tour that will enable us to offer a similarly exciting, intimate experience for both fans and the band, and will be announcing a revised set of dates shortly.”
They also shared refund details and thanked fans for their understanding:
“Everyone who had purchased tickets and/or VIP to the initial tour dates will be fully refunded – and when the new plans are announced, will be the first to be able to buy tickets. Thank you for your understanding and apologies for the surprise change… We’re pretty sure everyone is going to be excited when you see what we have in mind though, and look forward to seeing everyone soon.”
What’s The Real Reason Of Cancelation?
Even though the band teased upcoming ‘intimate’ concerts, it looks like they might be downsizing to smaller venues. What this means is the ticket sales were not as high as expected.
Ticket availability data from Ticketmaster suggests that the tour didn’t sell well. Some fans blamed the high ticket prices, which ranged from $100 to $300. A Reddit user said of the prices:
“The prices are insane, in LA the section behind the pit are going for $600+ fees; the boys aren’t worth spending that kind of money to go see in all honesty. Saw them for $100 flat at the same venue on the floor at their height of their popularity 10 years ago… f*cking brutal.”
Before the official announcements, fans on Reddit figured that the tour wasn’t selling well. Another user also figured out that the tour was canceled before the band’s post. The user mentioned that a fan page owner on Instagram had spoken to a touring member earlier and confirmed that Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney were doing fine, so the cancelation wasn’t related to health issues.
It’s worth noting that The Black Keys’ latest album, ‘Ohio Players,’ didn’t do as well commercially as their previous releases. When it came out in April, it debuted at No. 26 on the Billboard 200 chart. In comparison, their last album, ‘Dropout Boogie,’ opened at No. 8 in 2022.
See the official statement here.